Letters… we get letters… we get stacks and stacks of letters…
How much of the poor performance was due to just not being truly ready/comfortable with a high-visiblity game in a high-pressure environment with high expectations, and how much of it was actual issues that need to be adddressed?
And does this loss mean the bandwagoners and/or YouTube comedians/“personalities” will go find somewhere else to be irritatingly in the news?
And does that second question make me a grumpy old man?
Tom Stephenson: Honestly? That game was Pavia making a couple of turnovers that he doesn’t normally make, along with abandoning the run game for some fucking reason. It’s weird that Missourah (spits) did the same thing against Alabama last weekend.
And I would be very interested to see if Mandeville, Louisiana, native Theo Von is still rooting for Vanderbilt against LSU this week. No, it does not make you a grumpy old man. Me, somebody who is about his age but decidedly not in his target market? I have opinions about YouTube Golf and LIV Golf that I would love for you to hear about.
Oh, right, I have a platform and I can make you.
PatrickSawyer: The Dores were fine until Pavia fumbled. I fully believe if he just gets tackled there to bring up a chip shot FG that the game goes differently. After the fumble, it seemed like Pavia was pressing a bit too much to make up for it. He kept on a few clear give reads. May have checked into some plays for himself, too. Some uncharacteristic drops also spelled doom when Pavia was on target, which probably are attributable to the moment.
The “media darling” bit will subside for a bit. Wins over LSU and Missouri would propel Vanderbilt near to or into the Top 10 for the trip to Austin. The Longhorns have taken a lot of luster off that game, but it could be a hot moment for the Commodores still. Theo Von is probably still going to be around with Pavia.
Sorta. I love all the attention. It would be have been massive if they had executed and won, especially because it may well have been a decisive win if momentum and points do not swing on that fumble.
Andrew VU ‘04: I honestly don’t know how to answer this. Pavia certainly had his worst game of the year, but no one else stood out for substandard performance. Might he have gotten too high on his own supply? Maybe. I’d rather chalk it up to being human. Even Tom Brady had a bad game here and there. Some times, you fight a tough team, and your star isn’t on their A game.
So, maybe I wasn’t seeing what others are seeing, but it looked like overall, our defense did pretty well on Saturday? I mean I’d have preferred stops in the second half, but holding them to field goals when Bama is still a really good team is nothing to sneeze at, along with four sacks, makes a fairly good performance. I’m not holding the garbage time TD against them, as I feel that if Pavia and the offense had held up their end and stayed on the field for more than five minutes, that doesn’t happen. Is the problem that my standards are too low?
Also, how do we feel about the offense? Did Bama figure something out, or did they just manage to shake Pavia’s confidence with the forced fumble early?
Also, on a grade from rice paper to cinder blocks, how thin is the collective skin of the Bama fanbase, and why is it measured in singular atoms?
Tom Stephenson: Yeah, you’re not seeing anything wrong. Vanderbilt mostly did fine against Alabama but lost. I wouldn’t read too much more into it than that.
And yes, the replies to the Anchor of Gold Twitter account were of both the volume and quality you normally see from Tennessee fans. Alabama and Tennessee are such big rivals because they’re the same people, just with a state line separating them. In Ardmore, this is a single street separating them.
PatrickSawyer: Alabama did 7.0 yards per play. It was very good “bend but do not break defense” though. I agree that the 4th down TD to make it 30 was a weird situation where the defense was basically in a goal line situation where giving up 2 (first down) or 20 (touchdown) was the same for the result. It was a very passive defensive that probably helped limit the kill shots, but let the drives get rolling too often. I have a couple in-depth notes for Lessons about the coverages.
I do not think anything was really figured out. As stated above, Pavia was pressing. His execution suffered. And the drops. This was a “Vanderbilt stopped themselves” game as much or more than it was Alabama stopping them. I see no reason to expect that to happen again.
Gold foil can be around 300 atoms thick. That is still thicker than Bama fan’s skin.
Andrew VU ‘04: See my answer above. Pavia just had an off day. The O-Line did their jerbs, as far as I could tell, as did the receivers. Certain running backs weren’t fed the ball enough, but again, some times a star just doesn’t have their ace stuff.
Vandy goes to Tuscaloosa and I expect them to win — what have they done to me!
Should Vandy have conceded and punted when it was clear the game was lost, or were we right to go for it on 4th and 21?
Add-on to my question: what about the assessment floating around out there that Alabama has given the rest of the SEC “the blueprint” to beat Vandy?
Tom Stephenson: That’s a weird assessment, because apparently the blueprint is “make Tim Beck have a brain fart and forget that the run game exists.”
We are now a true SEC fanbase in that I am simply going to say “RUN THE DAMN BALL, TIM” when this happens again.
PatrickSawyer: They got good.
Never concede. Ever. That is a HORRIBLE message to send.
That assessment is stupid. Even if they gave teams a plan, only like 2 or 3 teams have the caliber of athlete that Alabama has.
Andrew VU ‘04: Now this I can answer. I was thinking the same thing all game (until the 4th quarter, maybe). It used to be that the size/speed/talent advantage on the lines was so pronounced, that we might be able to hang for a quarter or two, but would get our teeth kicked in once the starters get even slightly gassed, injured, or any other reason depth comes into question. That is emphatically no longer the case, and dear God, is that something to be grateful for.
The punt question I will not grace with an answer. Patrick said what I would have said, anyway.
As for “the blueprint,” does it involve being a blue-blood stock full of 4 and 5 star future pros playing at home? Because that’s a blueprint for every team in the damned country.
not a question so much here but I think there’s an opportunity here for yall to talk about where we are so quickly. We’re all upset about how we played. Think About that. We’re mad we (effectively) lost by two scores at Alabama. A month ago we all figured they were going for the Cumberland record.
Vanderbilt football is in a tremendous place and I am hoping they can take this momentum and beat LSU with it.
Tom Stephenson: Does LSU revoke your Ph.D. if you put this in writing? Do you still get to call yourself Dr. if that happens?
(Yes, technically a law degree is a Juris Doctor. I have never once referred to myself as Dr. Stephenson.)
PatrickSawyer: Yeah, we got an Alabama program that was already out for blood and looking to make a statement after last season’s result. Then Pavia, Alexander, and Patterson all made pretty bold statements (Reminder: CJ Taylor made a similarly bold statement before the 2024 game.) that would have only added kerosene to the fire.
Even with all of that, Alabama could not really dominate Vanderbilt. They have easily dominated almost every matchup for the last 20 years. What normally has looked like a man alone in a cage with a hungry lion looked like a real gladitorial contest. I would like another shot at them in Atlanta or the CFP, and I think Pavia and the entire Vanderbilt team feels the same. Yeah, I think that says everything about the changes. Vanderbilt can legitimately say, with backing evidence, that they can go toe-to-toe with Alabama without any “overlooked” or “trap game” snarkiness applicable.
Andrew VU ‘04: No question (about it).
What/who are you most proud of from the game?
Tom Stephenson: I’m proud of us for pissing off the Alabama fan base so much that they really, really cared about beating us and then got bogged down in what was basically a single-digit game until a late, meaningless TD let them cover the spread.
PatrickSawyer: The defense held Alabama to 2 meaningful TDs. Yes, Ty Simpson threw for 340 yards on 23/31 passing, but there were not any deep shot TDs. Against that WR corps, that is impressive.
Andrew VU ‘04: Our fans for not freaking out like the Pedo State State Penn fanbase and demanding a coach’s het unreasonably. As always, for all the athletic directors out there longing to pay someone $50 million, give or take, to not coach their football teams, I will gladly not coach their teams for much much less. Heck, I’ll give an entire conference a bulk-rate discount.
What does Vanderbilt’s passing attack need to work on and fix in order to be successful when they see the gumbo bengals on October 18?
I get it that Diego’s swagger invigorates his team, but which Vanderbilt coach can help him to see a corollary between showing greater humility in the week leading up to the game (including pregame antics) and his ability to execute?
McGugin McGugin McGugin McGugin
&
Building off of VU Offspring, should the coaches put a moratorium on the trash talk? We still ain’t won no rings.
Tom Stephenson: I get more annoyed by the trash talk just because I am an old and I do not like that we’re promoting ourselves by associating with weird Instagram accounts and podcasters. There, I said it. Fight me.
PatrickSawyer: Don’t drop the ball? I think that was the biggest difference against Alabama in the passing attack. Without the drops, it probably clicks along.
I hope the only thing they touch is how he responds after the fumble. Just get him to realize his teammates are plenty of capable of lifting him up, too, so he does not have to be a one-man army. Humility? What are you? A Tennessee fan telling Commodores to “know their place” or some such? Also, they do the kneel down practice every game, so that is a non-story.
Screw that. Vanderbilt has been meek long enough. Talk your stuff then back it up. Own it when you fail. No issues from me.
Andrew VU ‘04: McGugin McGugin McGugin McGugin McGugin McGugin McGugin McGugin McGugin McGugin McGugin McGugin MUSHROOM MUSHROOM!
As for limiting the swagger… hell no. If you think you’re Cassius Clay, you’re going to take a pounding to the head, but that never stopped him from winning anything, did it? If you think you’re Beowulf, and Grendel better start sweating, will Wyrd stop being on your side if you say it loud and proud? If you’re Dansby the Mansby, do you cut your hair? Come on now…
Arguably one of Pavia’s worst performance in the Black and Gold, but how much of that was caused by going away from Sedrick after it appeared we established the run?
Tom Stephenson: RUN THE DAMN BALL, TIM
PatrickSawyer: With as much as Pavia is allowed to adjust the plays at the line AND how much of the offense is RPO and/or read option, he may actually bear the responsibility for going away from Alexander.
Andrew VU ‘04: I’d say it was Pavia’s 2nd worst performance (*cough, Ugga State last year, cough*), but yeah, why the hell would you go to Bernie Mac or DL Hughley when you’ve got Sedrick the Entertainer on the roster? Feed the man, Perdedor. Feed him.
Do we just not have a competition grade defense this year? Is success against better teams going to depend on playing keep-away and burning clock?
Tom Stephenson: Somebody cut off VandyImport, he’s reached his limit.
PatrickSawyer: Georgia allowed 24 points to Alabama. Missouri allowed 27. The Crimson Tide dropped 38 on Wisconsin. Allowing 30 to them, especially with 7 points coming on a play where it was more important not to give up 2 than anything else. You should feel better about the defense after that game.
Andrew VU ‘04: They’re fine; they’re just not Jamie Winborn and Woodyball good.
First game Pavia has looked hesitant and indecisive in passing attack. Was this just because Alabama defensive backs were covering our receivers so well, or disguising coverages, or something else?
&
Addendum question, did Pavia get high on his own supply between Theo, having Manziel on the sideline, and silly podcast quotes leading up to the game?
Tom Stephenson: I am still mad at Pavia for making me learn who Theo is.
PatrickSawyer: Alabama probably did give him more trouble than almost any other team will. Texas may present a different issue with their pass rush, and LSU is pretty impressive throughout their defense. Even on the re-watch, I cannot consistently answer whether it was disguised coverage or just elite execution without an All-22 view. Some of it is how the offense became very much a straight drop back attack as the 3rd and 4th quarters rolled on, which makes it easier to defend.
Andrew VU ‘04: While LT Overton is a beast and the rest of Ramajama’s Gump D-Line are nothing to shake a stick at, I thought the offensive line more than held their own. Pavia just had a shitty game.
This is the title for the native ad
This is the title for the native ad
© 2026 Vox Media, LLC. All Rights Reserved
Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER (1-800-426-2537). Hope is here. GamblingHelpLineMA.org or call (800) 327-5050 for 24/7 support (MA). Visit www.mdgamblinghelp.org (MD). Call 877-8HOPE-NY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY). 21+ (18+ D.C.) and present in select states (for KS, in affiliation with Kansas Star Casino). Call 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat (CT) or visit FanDuel.com/RG.
